Secrets of Eromanga

Reviewed by Jackie Hosking: ‘Pass it On’

I believe that Sheryl Gwyther would be extremely talented in the art of carpet weaving. Am I saying that she should try a different career? On the contrary, what I am saying is that someone who can weave story threads as easily as Sheryl has in the Secrets of Eromanga must surely find any sort of weaving a synch. Chapters follow parallel streams that flow seamlessly throughout the book. One stream, present day, a story about three teenagers with an insatiable interest in Dinosaurs. The other stream, ancient Australia, follows the struggle of a herd of Ornithopods.
Both streams have a main character. Ellie is a passionate girl who struggles with her desire to be seen as a young lady and her abhorrence with all things lady-like. She detests that Peta is more concerned about her nails than what is going on at the dinosaur dig and yet aches to be noticed by Tom. Picture now, a small dinosaur trekking across ancient Australia with her brothers and sisters. Like Ellie, she is forced to put aside childish fantasies when tragedy strikes. Like Ellie she has to make choices.
The Secrets of Eromanga is a mystery, a story about friendship, and a wonderful peak into the past. A delicious read.

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Reviewed by: http://amlib.eddept.wa.edu.au/ (Education Dept – Western Australia)

In this adventure set in the Queensland outback, parallel story-lines weave the present and Australia's geological past together.
Twelve-year-old Ellie, who is obsessed with fossils, has been invited to a dig at an important site with friends from the Dinosaur Club at the city museum. Her travel companion, Peta, appears to be confident and sophisticated, and antipathy develops between the two girls especially when Peta comes between Ellie and her long-time friend, Tom. Fossil thieves put the girls in danger, and it takes Ellie's bravery to resolve the situation.
Short chapters telling the life story of the dinosaur at the centre of the dig are effectively interspersed providing factual information in a palatable form.
Both stories are engaging and will interest boys and girls.